Compared with natural sightseeing, industrial tourism is not affected by changes in weather and can receive tourists even when it is offseason at other tourism destinations, especially in the country's north in winter. However, the development of industrial tourism varies among regions, and some sites merely offer tours of old plants, experts say.

Ma Xiaolong, a professor at the College of Tourism and Service Management in Nankai University, says professionals from the fields of business design, cultural products, technology and events management should also participate in the development of sites related to industrial heritage.

Sun, the official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, urges creating an industrial-museum system that looks back on history, displays the modern era and points to the future.

In September, the Chongqing Industrial Museum that was built on a defunct steel plant opened to the public. It shows distinctive items such as equipment, products and old production processes that were left during different phases of the city's development.

Its exhibition on industrial history became one of the top 10 museum exhibitions nationwide in May.

In Sichuan province's capital, Chengdu, the LCA Aviation Museum has brought the aviation industry closer to the public, with its sections on science and technology, history and simulated flights, as well as an aviation-themed restaurant.

The central government is working to promote the study of industrial culture and has developed evaluation standards, Sun says.